Holiday Fun

December is here, let the holiday fun begin!  The best part about the holidays is the traditions that come along with them. I love shopping with the boys for their special ornament each year. Every Christmas Eve we will have pizza for dinner, the boys will open one present (Oh I'm so surprised, it's pajamas!) and then it will be off to bed for them.  Christmas morning brings stockings and presents and a special breakfast too.

I know that the traditions are important to me but it seems that they are important to the rest of the family as well.  Coltin has already reminded me that we need to plan ahead for the pizza this year because the pizza shops all close early; we found that out the hard way last year.  Last year was also the first year that Ben was not with us on Christmas.  He was getting ready to deploy so he didn't need a lot of "stuff" and told us not to do too much for him for Christmas. I sent him a few things I thought he could use but I apparently forgot one important thing - his Christmas pajamas.  I had to send a 2nd package so that he was sure to have them for Christmas Eve.

Traditions are part of what makes the holidays so special.  I am grateful for my family and the traditions we have established.  I look forward to making new ones as they continue to grow and go off with families of their own.

Happy Holidays Everyone

Christmas 2010

Christmas 2008

Bad Blogger...

My, oh My!!  Has it really been 9 months since I updated our family blog?  That is enough time to have a baby...thankfully we didn't.  But had we had one at least I would have an excuse for my failure to keep on this.  I'm sure I could come up with a multitude of other VALID  reasons (yep, still excuses) as to why I haven't updated it, but rather than bore you with them I'm going to give you a top 10 run-down to get you up-to-date with the Heath Family.  (You know you can't wait) 

10...Coltin got braces.  Ok, I did too but you won't get to see a picture of that!  And he got a mohawk (just for the summer).  Plus he went to a special engineering / aeronautics summer school which cumulated with his riding in a Cessna and taking some awesome aerial photos and he went to a sleep-away summer camp for robotics for a week.  (He's been a pretty busy boy!)

9...Dakota has grown to 6'2", had a minor biking accident resulting in a broken arm, and has recently taken up robotics.

8... Ben left for Afghanistan in January. 

7...Chad turned the big 40.  Enough said about that!

6...We all made it through our first winter in Nebraska.  Although I did have to buy a new AWD car to make it through!

5...Chad traveled all over the country, as usual.  But I got to take a girl's trip to Vegas for my Spring Break.  My mom and three of my good friends spent time with me there -- it was tons of fun!!

Aunt Beki, Grandma Michele, Dakota, and Ben in Seattle

Darcy, Colt, and Dakota in front of the Golden Gate Bridge

4...The family made a few jaunts as well.  San Francisco in December for Chad's work, Seattle in February to see Ben one last time before he left the States, Idaho in March to see Chad's family, and...

3...The five of us (minus our soldier boy but plus Uncle Mike!) spent a week in Washington, D.C. which was amazing!!

2...Ben came home on leave from Afghanistan.  And our adopted son J.D. came to Omaha to visit too!

and 1...each of the boys had a birthday and are one year older.  (Ok, mom did too but she doesn't so much like to admit that!)  Ben will soon be 19-- and much too grown up, Colt is now 12 -- the last official year of tweenhood-- and Dakota is 15 and is getting his permit--tomorrow! 

Yikes, what a 9 months it has been!!  I promise to not wait so long before blogging next time.  There's too much to add otherwise!!

Thanks for visiting and stop by again soon for another peek into the crazy Heath family!!